Upper North Platte River Basin (8)
January 1998

Snow
The 13 snow courses above Seminoe Reservoir average about 35 percent
less than the normal Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) recorded for this time
of the year. In Colorado (above Northgate), SWE is about 31 percent
below average and 46 percent of last year at this time. SWE in the
Encampment River drainage is about 54 percent of normal and 35 percent
of last year. Brush Creek SWE for the year is about 81 percent of
normal and 50 percent of last year's SWE. The Medicine Bow and Rock
Creek drainage SWE is about 62 percent of average and 42 percent of last
year at this time. For more information see Basin Summary of Snow
Courses at the beginning of this report.

Precipitation
Nine reporting stations indicate December precipitation was 42 percent
below average and about 71 percent less than last year's amount.
December precipitation varied from 24 percent of average at South Brush
Creek SNOTEL to 107 percent of average at Reno Hill SNOTEL. Total
precipitation, for the water year to date, is 76 percent of average for
the basin. Total precipitation for the water year is about 50 percent
of last year's amount.

Reservoirs
Seminoe Reservoir is currently storing about 62 percent more than normal
for this time of the year; currently the reservoir is storing about 18
percent more than last year's storage. Seminoe Reservoir storage is
estimated to be about 876,000 acre feet; last year the reservoir had
744,800 acre feet in storage.

Streamflow
The entire drainage basin is expected to have a below average runoff.
The April through September 50 percent chance yield for the North Platte
River near the Colorado state line is expected to be 195,000 acre feet
(about 38 percent less than normal); the Encampment River near
Encampment is estimated to yield 103,000 acre feet (34 percent below
normal); the North Platte River near Sinclair will yield about 490,000
acre feet (about 32 percent below normal); Rock Creek near Arlington is
estimated to yield 47,000 acre feet (about 16 percent below average);
Medicine Bow River above Seminoe Reservoir is expected to yield about
76,000 acre feet (about 40 percent below normal), Seminoe Reservoir
inflow should be about (575,000 acre feet (32 percent below normal).
See the following table for more detailed information on projected
runoff.